The Zenith Bank Tech Fair 4.0, held on November 21, 2024, at Lagos’ Eko Convention Centre, celebrated groundbreaking technological advancements by awarding ₦77.5 million in cash prizes to winners of its highly competitive hackathon.
Themed “Future Forward 4.0: Embedded Finance, Cybersecurity & Growth Imperatives – The Impact of AI,” the event drew over 1,700 contestants showcasing transformative solutions aimed at revolutionizing industries in Africa.
The top prize of ₦25 million went to JumpnPass, a self-checkout technology poised to redefine retail operations across Africa. They will also benefit from a six-week mentorship and incubation program, starting in December 2024, to scale their innovative solution. CreditChek, an AI-driven service for income and credit verification, secured the ₦20 million first runner-up prize, while Salad Africa, a credit product integrator for digital platforms, took home ₦15 million as second runner-up.
Additional finalists, including Regxta, CashAfrica, and Kitovu, each received ₦2.5 million, underlining Zenith Bank’s commitment to nurturing tech startups.
Zenith Bank CEO Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji underscored the importance of empowering young innovators, drawing inspiration from global tech leaders. In her speech, she highlighted the critical role of innovation in shaping the future of finance and business:
“This prestigious annual event was created to empower and nurture young fertile minds. We hope to produce the likes of Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, and Elon Musk from the Zenith Bank Hackathons in the nearest future.”
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, present at the event, stressed the importance of adopting a global outlook for Nigerian businesses, emphasizing innovation as a pathway to international competitiveness.
The event also featured keynotes on Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Digital Banking Transformation, with contributions from industry leaders such as Microsoft and Deloitte.
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